Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan : Perfume Review

Some fragrances need to be well-tested over time to become classics. Guerlain Nahéma was an utter failure when first launched in 1979, but today its ripe, voluptuous accord of ylang-ylang, rose and sandalwood is considered archetypal. Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan, on the other hand, has achieved the status of an amber gold standard in a mere decade. Created as an interpretation of a classical sweet amber theme, today it is among the most imitated and recognizable amber fragrances. The genius of Serge Lutens and perfumer Christopher Sheldrake lied in layering a sweet, unctuous amber accord with the camphorous brightness of herbs. The result is a fascinating sweet-savory interplay that evokes as much caramel ganache as tomates à la provençale (tomatoes grilled with parsley and oregano.)

On the face of it, Ambre Sultan seems like a variation on the traditional labdanum and vanilla accord that can be found in many classical fragrances. It certainly has plenty of warm resins accented with dry patchouli and woods as well as a deliciously dark vanilla. Yet, although some elements seem familiar, there are some facets of Ambre Sultan that are surprising. The bright, aromatic flourish of marjoram, thyme and coriander has a piquant character, and when set against the dark, heavy resins, the effect is not unlike a sprinkling of salt over a piece of chocolate. The herbs lighten the opulent heft of amber, while green, vegetal musks soften some of the rough edges.

In contrast to the grand parfums like Guerlain Mitsouko, in which a classical sweet amber accord plays an important role next to the mossy woods and cinnamon sprinkled peaches, Ambre Sultan is a solo performance. It is not a composition where the top notes have a distinct character from the drydown. Instead, Ambre Sultan unfolds all of its gilded, ambery layers at once, allowing one to admire their warmth and richness.

Built in the modern style, it is a radiant composition that combines a great tenacity with a powerful sillage. Wearing Ambre Sultan, I feel as if I am wrapped in a heavy pashmina, which is a pleasant sensation on a cold day. It gathers plenty of compliments, often from complete strangers. Even so, be forewarned that proper dosage makes the difference between a caress and asphyxiation. One spray too many, and the beauty of Ambre Sultan becomes smothering.

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan Eau de Parfum includes notes of coriander, amber, oregano, bay leaf, myrtle, angelica root, sandalwood, patchouli, benzoin, and vanilla. It is sold in the export range. The export line fragrances are available from Aedes, Beautyhabit, Luckyscent, Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, and from some Neiman Marcus locations. $120, 50ml.

39 Comments

Olfactoria: The most wonderful amber! I’m glad to see you gave it five stars. It really is THE amber. October 3, 2011 at 4:18amReply

Suzanna: Delicious review! I will wear it today.

This is the only fragrance with that many herbal notes I can wear. Normally I do not care for herbs at all, but here they slightly roughen the surface of the amber/vanilla in a marvelous way. October 3, 2011 at 9:01amReply

AnneR: I just bought a full bottle after draining my decant. AB just makes me happy when I wear it. I love that I can smell it all day. Thanks for the review. October 3, 2011 at 9:43amReply

dleep: Thank you for that wonderful review! This was my first Serge. October 3, 2011 at 11:59amReply

Warum: I loved this review.
I have to admit that I still do not spray AS, wearing only tiny dabs of it. I know a lot of people do spray it, but I have not just come around yet. October 3, 2011 at 12:16pmReply

green jean: i like to wear this on one wrist and hermes’ ambre narguile on the other. i can sniff each wrist in succession to compare and contrast, and then sniff them both together. ooh. i need to stop now and get out my treasure chest. October 3, 2011 at 12:28pmReply

Tracy: I am going to try this – fall is here! October 3, 2011 at 8:36amReply

Style Spy: My favorite amber (and I have quite a few) and one of my top 3 fragrances of all time. Perfection. October 3, 2011 at 9:39amReply

Victoria: One of the best, that’s for sure! October 3, 2011 at 12:45pmReply

Victoria: It is my favorite for this time of the year. October 3, 2011 at 12:45pmReply

Victoria: I like herbal notes in general, but here they lend such an interesting effect. Mmmmm…. October 3, 2011 at 12:46pmReply

Victoria: I also love ambers, but this one never fails to please! October 3, 2011 at 12:46pmReply

Victoria: I agree, a drop is enough to last for the entire day. It is really tenacious! October 3, 2011 at 12:49pmReply

Victoria: I think that it was my second Serge! 🙂 The first one was Fleur d’Oranger, which is still my favorite. October 3, 2011 at 12:49pmReply

Victoria: This is the kind of fragrance that needs to be dabbed. Like you, I cannot envision spraying it. 🙂 October 3, 2011 at 12:52pmReply

Mikeperez23: One of the only fragrances that brought me to tears when I first smelled it – no lie. It will always be what I think of, when I think of amber. October 3, 2011 at 11:09pmReply

Sharryn Stormonth: I love ambers and this is on the top of my list alongside of Ambra del nepal. Ambre narguile is one I must try. I agree with Olfactoria, I am so pleased you gave it 5*. October 4, 2011 at 1:52amReply

minette: i didn’t fall for its charms for several years… but once i did, i did because, on me, it’s more about the incense than the amber – i feel like i’m burning high-quality incense on my skin when i wear it. if it were simply a sticky-sweet amber, i wouldn’t enjoy it nearly as much! October 4, 2011 at 4:16pmReply

Victoria: Thank you for sharing that! Any perfume that can evoke such a strong feeling is very special. October 4, 2011 at 12:19pmReply

Victoria: Do try Ambre Narguile! I love the strong tobacco note interspersed with amber in that fragrance, and yet the whole is so light and airy. October 4, 2011 at 12:20pmReply

hongkongmom: I need to go and put this on now! Thank you so much for the previous post on ambers and for this and the one on ambre russe…I have learned a lot! October 6, 2011 at 2:36amReply

Gentiana: Guess what:
I just received my Ambre Sultan in Vaporisateur Tout Noir… I am so happy!!!

But I must tell I don’t understand the marketing (and customer service) at Lutens.
I asked them four times for samples. And I specified that I don’t want them for free.
I received the funniest reactions. Or no reaction at all.

I am very keen to smell Bois Violette, Fumerie Turque, Bois Sepia, Borneo, Boxeuses, El Attarine, Iris Silver Mist, Douce Amere, Cypre Rouge, ROse de Nuit… and a few more.
I never ever will do again the silly thing to buy an expensive perfume unsniffed.
How on earth can I smell the fragrances from the Palais Royal collection without traveling to Paris? February 24, 2014 at 11:37amReply

Victoria: They really should make the samples available in little coffrets for purchase. It seems like such a sensible way to satisfy its curious customers! But I’m glad that you’re enjoying Ambre Sultan, one of Serge Lutens’s classics. 🙂 February 24, 2014 at 11:39amReply

Gentiana: Well… they should.
I broadened my perfume knowledge first due to the very nice SA-s and managers at the 3-4 niche perfume shops in Bucharest – they always gave me samples when I visited them – and to more perfume houses that have intelligent sampling programs.
So I received discovery sets at fair prices from Frederic Malle, Parfums D’Empire, J H A G, Les Nez, Olfactive Studio, Mona di Orio, Molinard etc.
And: with ANY perfume purchase I received at least 1-2 samples. That gives a good feeling… You feel a little bit spoiled and appreciated as a customer.
SL didn’t send extra at least a wax sample. Or a perfumed cardboard. Anything. It is not about the value. It is the ATTITUDE.
I don’t see the logic of such an exlusivist behavior at SL. I percieved it as an arrogance. Please…don’t ask me to reproduce the answers of the SL people when I asked about samples… I have to feel that they make me a favor selling me their perfume.
I think I will send them a letter. But I need to find the right tonality. The purpose is to help them improve the customer care. Do they mind it? February 25, 2014 at 4:44amReply

Gentiana: Now that I re-read my comment it seems a little bit harsh.
I would tell the things a kind of more nuanced…
If you think that I wrote too much or that I overreacted, you may delete it.
Thank you. February 25, 2014 at 4:58amReply

Victoria: But if you feel that you didn’t receive the right service, you should write a letter. February 25, 2014 at 8:00amReply

Ushie: Hi, Gentiania, I don’t know if you will see this, but if you go to the Serge Lutens website and send a comment in to them, they will send you at least one sample. You have to be very clear in your request, and also formal (in the best French interpretation of “formal”). They’ve done it for me. Also, the mailing list notifies you of bonuses with purchases–a recent one was a coffret of 32 samples with any purchase. April 20, 2014 at 3:29pmReply

angeldiva: Hi Ushie! Hi Victoria!
Firstly, THANK- YOU for the Serge Lutens website request tip. I did write to them, and will hopefully receive some samples. They were very gracious!
I tried my paid for sample from Luckyscents(thank -you BdG). My Gooooodness!!! What a sensory surround experience! I must have the ideal skin chemistry for this genius perfume, because it really transported me body and soul. The amber bloomed, the perfume ,”thows,” (? I don’t know the proper term so I am using a dye term) a mesquite smoke scent off my skin. I loved the review, but it doesn’t describe the campfire orgy that this perfume creates. I can smell sandalwood, and something orange as well. But, alas, I adjust learning how to identify the notes and sing the song.
Ambre Sultans is more of an experience. To think that my entire motivation for learning about Serge Lutens was because I saw it offered on a discount site that I frequent. The information from BdG is invaluable for the informed perfume consumer. Thanks!
P. October 20, 2014 at 5:04pmReply

Cecilia: Dear Victoria,
I’m deeply in love with the classic Lutens oriental accord and I’m trying to choose the best ambery resinous oriental fragrance to buy for myself. I’ve tried l’ambre sultan on my skin and the opening is stunning, but the drydown is too much talc like (a friend told me it smelled “ancient”). Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you for you beautiful reviews!
Cecilia. February 10, 2017 at 11:06amReply

Victoria: Have you tried Bois Oriental? February 12, 2017 at 2:59amReply

Cecilia: No, I haven’t! I must try it on my next visit to Palais Royal. But in the meantime, prompted by your exquisite review, I’ve tried (and purchased) Cèdre. I loved it from the very first spray. On my skin it shimmers with just the right amount of epices.
Thank you very much Victoria! February 13, 2017 at 6:10amReply

SFSteve: Alas, the 2016 version of Ambre Sultan (based on a batch code beginning with ‘Y’) is missing much of the amber, herbs, and woody accords described here. Has there ever been a reformulation that resulted in an improvement? (That’s a rhetorical question.) September 6, 2017 at 8:02pmReply

betty: Dear Victoria and blog friends, I got a bottle upon reading your beautiful review. While it is indeed nice and warm, I find it trending masculine and a tad “too” smoky. Do you have any recommendation on what scent to pair it with to make it more soft and gentle, less herby?
Thanks! March 2, 2018 at 2:15amReply

Victoria: What about a simple vanilla perfume? You can also soften it by applying less or mixing it with a bit of unscented lotion and applying it this way. March 2, 2018 at 3:06amReply

betty: I am not sure I can apply any less 🙂
I do not have any vanilla solos, what about rose? Will that be weird? March 2, 2018 at 3:11amReply

Victoria: I mean, dab it, not spray it. Those bottles offer both styles of applying, as far as I recall. Or apply it on fabric and see if how it smells to you this way. For instance, you can spray it on a scarf or a handkerchief. I like rich perfumes worn this way.

Kaylen Baker: I’ve noticed Serge Lutens has changed their bottles (the 50 ml are gone)/packaging, and have read a bit about the fact that the brand does regular reformulations. I’ve been dreaming of buying Ambre Sultan since I sampled it last summer, and I love the 50 ml size and bottle look better than the newer 100ml bottle. Any idea where I can track down an authentic bottle from an older stock? And if I can, should I worry that the perfume has denatured? (I bought a bottle of Une Voix Noire last year from the Palais Royale boutique, and was so disappointed to fly it home and discover the scent was nothing like it had been in the store–the gardenia was nearly nonexistent, and a strange shimmery/watery scent had replaced what I’d expected. I don’t want to have that happen again!) October 27, 2018 at 4:41amReply

Victoria: I really don’t know, since I haven’t compared them. Packaging doesn’t necessarily mean reformulation, though. The only way to know is to sample. You can track down older bottles on Ebay and other grey market retailers, but there is also some risk of it being not quite fresh. October 28, 2018 at 7:48amReply

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